The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-06-09
MANUFACTURE OF GOLD LEAF.
Work and Wages of Gold Beaters-Some
Interesting Information.

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Interesting Information.
Gold leaf is manufactured about
twenty shops in New York and its
suburbs. 1t is estimated that 20,500
ounces of gold are consumed annually
here in making gold leaf. Gold can be
beaten so thin that it will take 1900
leaves to equal the thickness of the sheet
upon which this paper is printed. An
ounce can be beaten down to 2, 500 leaves
three and three eights inches square.
AT an establishment in Hudson street
reporter was told that the gold is bought
of brokers in small ingots, which are
melted into bars about quarter of an
inch thick. These are rolled into a rib
bon as thick as note paper. After passing
through the hands of the beaters it is put
in books, interleaved with manila tissue,
and twenty books are put in package.
No dross comes from the gold as it is
beaten, but there are ragged edges that
drop off. The leaf is used by gilders,
bookbinders, dentists and sign painters.
The wages of gold beaters are $11 a
week. A piece hand gets $5 beating.
A good one can possibly do two week,
and as many as nine a month have been
done. Extra is paid if the workman
beats the gold below five grains to a book.
Some can go to four and one-half and
even four grains per book.
"How thin can you get it?'' a beater in
Broome street was asked.
'sIt is beaten to one three-hundred-
thousandth of an inch thick at five grains
to the book. If it gets down to four
II ic fI,roa hr1y,6ra1 ay,I sxtx
thousandth of an inch. The New York
system employs men only, with girls to
do the cutting. The German system en-
ploys children of s OF 8. On that system
men do the beating and girls do the prim
ing and filing"
.'How is the gold beaten?''
'1It is beaten in molds made in London
from the intestines of cows, cleaned and
vanished with a secret preparation man
ufactured by Puckridge & Nephew, of
London. The skins are put in packages
of 900 skins each, and three of these
molds go to beating.''
''How much gold is there in beat
ing?''
"Fifty pennyweights in a beating. The
ribbon of solid gold is divided into 40
or 1S0 pieces, each about an inch square.
These are put into cutch made of
French paper four inches square. That
is beaten until we get the gold to the
edges. 1t is handled with pincers at that
time, 1t is beaten half an hour. The
pieces are then piled twenty on top of
each other. They are then cut in four
and doubled over, making 720. They are
then put in a sscheder, or finer mold cut
down. We fill the schoder with those
leaves in the middle, and beat it out to
the edges. We beat it about two hours,
until we draw about ten pennyweights off
the schoder.''
"Does it have to be kept dry?"
''We have to keep. the windows shut;
but the clutches, schoders and molds take
| up so much moisture that they have to be
put in hot mold to press the moisture
| out"
''Does that finish it?'
"Oh, no. The leaves are cut again
into four with a tool called wagon,
making 2,S90, but the molds hold only
2,700. The molds are beaten four hours,
at the end of each hour there being what
is called close, when they are heated.
Then the beater is through with it, and
done by the girls in New York. They
can cut from thirty to sixty-four books a
day, at two and half cents book. The
leaf when it gets in a book is SO thin that
it is handled only with the BREATH -
ssHow is the work lested?',
"Only with the eye. There is no rule
about the business, but it is purely mat
ter of skill and Judgment. The best is
the kind used on glass, which shows all
imperfections.
81 notice gold beaters usually work in
Easements. Why is that?''
ga firmer blow can be given. If on the
first story, there is a jar, which deterior-
ates the quality
els there any adulteration in the bust
ness?''
''The Germans beat what is called a
metal leaf with an alloy. 1t is sold very
cheap, 1t is oleomargarine of gold leaf,
and will tarnish. Much of it is used by
bcokbinders. -
"When did the trade start?'
SIT is very ancient. 1t is mentioned in
the Bible. Gold leaf was used on Solo.
mons temple. The Chinese beat gold
leaf, but it cannot compare in quality
with American leaf. Some of the China
men had trouble with their employers
but they soon ended it. They got the
employer into their lodge room, and ther
one after another took big bite out o.
his flesh. New York Sun.